Reviews tagging 'Classism'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

50 reviews

marena02's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

pastlifetragedy's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Abortion, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Confinement, Terminal illness, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Dementia, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

greenan26's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Xenophobia and War

cepbreed's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I honestly expected so much more from this book. I was told it would be earth-shattering and remarkable but upon reading the last page I didn't have any strong feelings. That isn't to say I didn't like it at all or feel strong emotions during certain parts, but the novelty wore off. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous was obviously written by a poet. The prose has a poetic quality and so does the organization. Paragraphs and chapters are arranged in such a way that sometimes appears random and is in need of clarification, which in poetry you can get away with but in a novel it became tiresome as I was getting to the end. Vagueness in poetry is almost necessary, but a novel is a much less flexible medium. I think a part of the reason this quality was so glaring to me is because I just read Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks, another novel by a poet, but one that is much more successful. I enjoyed reading about Little Dog from his perspective and the concept of writing to his mother was intriguing. My heart strings were continually tugged and the intimacy of Vuong's writing made Little Dog feel like a friend. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, and Blood

Minor: Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

elliotlea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Classism

sadiaa's review against another edition

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

ieotter13's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

absolutely gorgeous writing - truly poetic at times. loved reading it again for a friend (love u soph) and had sm fun annotating the prettiest of lines.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and Classism

mirandyli's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Beautifully written and will probably make you cry. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, War, and Classism

gabriella_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

His prose is beautiful and reads like poetry, it is recommended to read this before Night Sky with Exit Wounds, it adds so much more context to that read

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Classism

justinlewry's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I miss you more than I remember you.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It seamlessly moves between poetry and prose in every sentence to tell a complex, layered story of inter-generational trauma, love, loss, and our place in the world. 

It simultaneously feels huge and very contained - a shifting scale. 

There’s a lot that I really loved in this book, particularly Little Dog’s first experience of love in and endless summer, and his exploration of his connection to place, to people and to the past. But unfortunately there was a lot that I didn’t connect with. 

This book has a lot to say, but not all of it had an impact on me.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Car accident, War, and Classism